Tynwald voted unanimously to spend £8.9m on a new primary school for Douglas.
The new Henry Bloom Noble Primary School will replace the Victorian Ballacloan Infants’ School and Fairfield Junior School buildings and will be built on part of the old Noble’s Hospital site on Westmoreland Road.
Education Minister Tim Crookall told the court that the total cost of the proposed development is £9,539,000, including pre-contract expenditure of £616,200 already approved by Tynwald, was £316,000 less than the figure originally earmarked in the capital budget.
He said the new school will ‘transform the teaching and learning environment for pupils and staff and provide a further catalyst to the regeneration of this inner town area, which has been blighted by the vacant site since the new hospital opened in 2003.’
Ballacloan school originally opened as Demesne Road Boys School in 1908, closing in 1973 and re-opening after refurbishment in 1974 as Ballacloan Infant school.
Fairfield school originally opened as Tynwald Street School in 1874, becoming a girls and infants school in 1908 on the opening of Demesne Road Boys School, ultimately becoming a mixed junior school.
Ballacloan school and Fairfield school came together as Henry Bloom Noble Primary School in Easter this year.
Mr Crookall said: ‘Both school buildings have served the catchment well for in excess of 100 years.
‘The department has however identified an extensive list of suitability issues that exist at both schools, arising primarily from the lack of suitable internal and external space.
‘The nature of the existing buildings and the site constraints means that it is neither cost effective nor possible to fully address the issues and this is why the department wishes to close these sites and transfer the school to the new school site,’
The scheme is for a two-form entry primary school, with 14 class bases. The redundant former ward block will be converted into classrooms and a special needs unit, with a large extension for the sports hall, assembly/dining hall and youth facilities.
Tooms Bros was selected as contractor following a competitive tendering exercise. Works will begin in January with construction due to be completed by mid-July 2016.